Source: Variety
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Universal Pictures has acquired the pitch Bit Players, and has set Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall to star. The film, which has elements of The Sting, will be scripted by Scott Rosenberg and Michael Lewis.
The story is about a trio of men whose small town in the West is destroyed by a Wall Street crook who has swindled townsfolk out of their pensions. Hoffman is the duped owner of the bank that leaves the town high and dry. Hackman and Duvall will play two of those men who band with Hoffman and head to New York, where they hatch a scheme to get even.
The project reteams Hoffman and Hackman again after The Runaway Jury the first time they have paired onscreen. Hoffman and Duvall are also reteamed in the upcoming The Lost City helmed by Andy Garcia.
Rosenberg will start writing immediately. He's also been scripting the CGI film Rex Havoc for DreamWorks, and remakes of The Sentinel for Universal and Let's Get Harry for Sony.
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